Thera 2.24: Valliya
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(144):Valliya Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter II. Two Verses =144. Valliya= Reborn in this Buddha-age at Vesālī, in a brahmin's family, he was named Kaṇhamitta. Come of age, he saw the majesty of the Buddha when the latter came to Vesālī, 132 and believing, he took orders under Mahā-Kaccana. dull of insight, and beginning to make effort, he was so long dependent upon the wisdom of his co-religionists that they called him Valliya (Creeperling), saying, 'Like ivy and such plants, that cannot grow leaning on nothing, so he cannot get on without leaning on someone who is wise.'1 And it came to pass that he went to hear Thera Veṇudatta preach, and becoming by that heedful and intelligent and ripe in knowledge, he asked that proficient teacher, saying: ---- 167 Yaɱ kiccaɱ saḷhaviriyo yaɱ kaccaɱ boddhumicchatā,|| Karissaɱ nāvarujjhassaɱ passa viriyaɱ parakkamaɱ.|| || 168 Tvaɱ ca me maggamakkhāhi añjasaɱ amatogadhaɱ,|| Ahaɱ monena monissaɱ gaŋgāsoto'va sāgaranti.|| || ---- 167 All that by earnest work has to be done, All that one gladly to awaken to truth must do. All that shall be my work nor shall I fail. O see my forward strides in energy! 168 And do you show me how and where to go - The Path that's founded on Ambrosia -2 So I in silent study pondering Shall to the silence of the seers attain, As glides great Gangā's river to the main.3 ---- Then Veṇudatta gave him an exercise for study, and he, working at it, not long after won arahantship(enlightenment). Declaring aññā(supreme attainment), he uttered those same verses. ---- 1 Apparently a different Thera from the Valliyas of LIII. and CXXIII., in whose case Valliya would seem to be no nickname. I have called valli (creeper) 'ivy,' because of its typically representing for us such a character. On Mahā-Kaccana, see CCXXIX. Veṇudatta is not met with elsewhere. 2 Nibbāne paṭiṭṭhitattā (Commentary). 3 The quarter verse ahaɱ monena monissaɱ has been perhaps unduly expanded, but it was to do justice to the association, for classic Indian literature, between the seer or sage (muni) and silence (cf. Chāndogya Upanishad, viii. 5, 2). The simile of the Ganges illustrates both silent progress and attainment. Nevertheless, the Commentary will have nothing to do with silence; for it, monena is 'by wisdom or insight,' and monissaɱ is 'I shall know or discern (Nibbāna).' ---- =2.3-4 144 Commentary on the stanza of Valliyatthera= The stanza starting with yaṃ kiccaṃ daḷhavīriyena constitutes that of the venerable Thera Valliya. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, was reborn in a brahmin family at the time of the Blessed One Sumedha; on having attained the age of intelligence, he reached proficiency in the arts and sciences, gave up his wealth of eighty crores, renounced the world became a hermit recluse, had a hermitage built on the bank of a river, in a forest region, at the foot of a hill and was dwelling there, when he met the Master who went near him for the purpose of uplifting him; he became pious-minded, spread out his antelope skin and offered (it to Him). He made reverential offerings of flowers and sandal wood, offered mango fruits and paid his homage with five touching-ground postures (pañcapatiṭṭhita). Making manifest the comfort (sampatti) of His ‘seated seat’, to him, the Blessed One spoke words of thanks and departed. On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in a brahmin family at Vesālī when this Buddha arose. He gained the name “Kaṇhamitta.” On having come of age, he saw the power of the Master when the latter went to Vesālī, aptly gained pious faith and became a monk in the presence of the Thera Mahākaccāna. He, being of meagre wisdom, and slow effort, dwelt but depending on his wise fellow-leader of holy life for a long time. Monks used to call him Valliya only, saying: “According as a creeper is not able to grow increasingly without depending on trees and so on, in the same way, this one also is not able to increasingly develop without depending on any wise one.” Subsequently, however, he approached the Thera Venudatta, abided by his advice, made himself mindful and ever aware (sampajāno), dwelt on and spoke two stanzas asking the Thera the serial order of proper practice (paṭipattikkama) since he had reached the all-round maturity of knowledge (ñāṇa). 167. “Whatever should be done with firm exertion, and whatever ought to be done by one who wishes to be enlightened, I shall do; I shall not neglect. Do see my exertion and effort. 168. “You, sir! Please speak to me of the right path (magga), straight diving into nibbāna (amatogadhaṃ); I shall aptly attain nibbāna by the knowledge of the right path (monena) similar to the stream of the river Gaṅgā reaching the ocean. There, yaṃ kiccaṃ daḷhavīriyena means: Whatever duty is to be done and aptly practised by means of firm exertion and steady effort (thira parakkama); in other words with firm exertion and manly endurance (dorayha). Yaṃ kiccaṃboddhumicchatā means: whatever duty should be done by one who wants to and desires to aptly penetrate into the fourfold noble truths, or even nibbāna. Karissaṃ nāvarrajjhissati means: I shall do that now, I shall not miss: I shall aptly practise according as I am instructed (to do). Passa vīrivaṃ parakkamaṃ means: when regulating one’s life according to righteousness (dhamma) and from carrying it out (īraṇato) in due form (vidhi) is vīriyaṃ (exertion), from the stepping upon (akkamana) another and further place is “parakkama (effort);” if there be no belief, see my right effort which had gained the name vīriya and parakkama thus: thus, he shows the state of his own desire to do. Tvañca means: he addresses his good friend the giver of mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna). Me means my. Maggamakkhāhi means: Do speak of the noble path (magga); please teach the mental exercise of the four fold noble truths which will well make me attain the transcendental path (lokuttatamagga); thus, is the meaning. Añjasaṃ means: straight (ujukaṃ), from not following (anupagamana) the two extremes (anta) because of the state of the middle path of practice (paṭipadā). Amatagadhaṃ means: the state of being established in the immortal nibbāna by means of the condition of facilitating the attainment. Monena means by means of the knowledge of the wisdom of the right path (magga). Monissaṃ means:– I shall comprehand, I shall aptly penetrate and attain. Caṅgāsoto va sāgaraṃ means: according as the stream of the river (Gaṅgā) enters into the ocean without fail (avirajjhanto) definitely (ekaṃsato), in the same way I ask the Thera for my mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna), thus: “Devoting myself to (anuyuñjanto) mental exercise, I shall attain nibbāna by means of the knowledge of the right path; therefore, do inform me that mental exercise. On having heard that request, the Thera Veṇudatta gave him the mental exercise. He also engaging himself in the mental exercxise, became eager for developing spiritual insight (vipassanaṃ ussukkāpetvā) and attained Arahantship but befor long. Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:– “Having given up the five strands of sensual pleasures of lovely beauty, joyful to the heart. I became a house- less monk, having abandoned the wealth of eighty crores. Having become a monk, I dwelt on the shore of a river abstaining from doing evil deeds by means of my body and avoiding wicked conduct of works. Buddha the best came to me who was dwelling all alone. I did not know Him to be Buddha with whom I held my conversation (paṭisanthāra). Having made my conversational greeting I enquired after His name and clan Are you a divinity or a celestial musician or alse are you Sakka, the pioneer donor (purindada)? Who are you? Or whose son are you? The great brahmā must have come here. You illuminate all directions resembling the rising sun. O my dear friend! Thousand spoked wheels are seen on your soles (pāde). Who are you? Or whose son are you? How are we to know you? Do let me know your name and clan; do dispel my doubts. I am not a divinity, I am not Sakka, the pioneer donor. In me there is no condition of brahmā. I am most excellent of these. I had gone beyond their sphere (visaya); I had broken asunder the fetter of sensual pleasure. Having had all my depravity burnt, I had attained the most excellent self-enlightenment. Having heard what He said, I spoke this statement. If you are omniscient Buddha, O great Sage! You please take your seat. You are the mader of the end of misery (dukkha): I shall moke reverential offering to you. Having spread out my antelope skin, I offered it to the Master. The Glorious One sat Himself down there like a lion in a mountain glen (girigabhare). Swiftly did I climb the hill and collected mango fruits, excellent Sal flowers as well as much worthy sandal scent. Having held up all of them quickly, I approached the leader of the world; Having held up all of them quickly, I approached the leader of the world; having offered the fruit to Buddha I made reverential offering of Sala flowers. Having smeared (Buddha’s body) with sandal scent, I paid my homage to the Master; I became pious-minded and good hearted accompanied by bountiful zest (pīti). Having taken His seat on (my) antelope skin, Sumedha, the leader of the world, announced my deed making me cheerful (hāsayanto) then. On account of fruit offering along with both flower garlands and sweet scent, he will enjoy himself in the divine world for twenty five hundred aeons (kappa). He will be having his highest power (vasavattī), with no decrease in his mental intentions (anūna manasaṅkappo); he will go to become a human being for twenty six aeons (kappa). He will become a world-king of mighty magical powers bounded on four sides (by oceans) in the city named Vebhāra, created by the divine architect (vissa- kamma). (His palace) will be all gold adorned with varieties of gems; even by this means he will wander about his rounds of repeated rebirths in (every) existence. Everywhere he would be homoured (pūjito) in his divine state and then in human condition. When his last existence duly arrives he will become a kinsman of brahmā. Having specially come out of his household, he will become houseless; having become one who has gone to the further shore of higher knowledge, he will enter nibbāna canker-free. Having said thus, the self-awakened Buddha Sumedha, the leader of the world, took His departure to the sky (anilañjase) while I was making my reflection. On account of that well-done deed, with volition and resolution, I gave up my human body and went to Tāvatiṃsa. Having passed away from Tusita I sprang up in my mother’s womb; there is no decrease in my wealth, in whichever womb I dwell. When I had gone into my mother’s womb, there did arise, as and when was wanted, food and drinks for nourishment by the desire of my mother. By the fifth year from my birth, I became a monk of houseless life; when my hair was being shaved, I attained Arahantship. Seeking former deeds, I did not see with my bosom (orena). I remembered my deed thirty thousand aeons (kappa) ago. My adoration be to you, O Thorough-bred Man! Adoration be to you, O most excellent Man! Having come to your dispensation, I have attained the unshaken path. It was thirty thousand aeons (kappa) ago that I made my special reverential offering to Buddha. I do not remember any evil existence; this is the fruitful result of my reverential offering to Buddha. My depravity had been burnt. … Buddha’s instruction had been carried out.” Having, however, attained Arahantship, the Thera spoke these self-same stanzas even, revealing his Arahantship (aññā). The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Valliya is complete. ----